A new year is almost here. The days between Christmas and New Years are very meaningful to me. It’s a season of deep reflection, of prayer, and seeking the Lord for HIs will for the upcoming year. Each year our family gathers with our best friends and we usher in the New Year with prayer. We play games and have lots of fun, but as the clock indicates the ending of one year and the beginning of another, we gather and pray over one another. Another dimension to our family New Year traditions is that we pray for a Word from the Lord that we essentially set as our motto for the year. Sometimes we each have an individual Word, sometimes it is for the family. Sometimes it is one word, and others it’s a scripture or a phrase. One year I received the word BRAVE. That year my oldest daughter went to college. There were many opportunities for the Lord to teach me what it means to be brave. It was the year that the spirit of fear that had dominated my life was broken and I was able to enter more fully in to what God has called me to. It was awesome. Last year, JOY was my personal word. For a few years I’ve battled depression, anger, and negativity. The Lord promised JOY to me for this year and it has been one of the years of greatest sorrow in my life, largely due in part to the fire but also because of family dynamics. There were times that it was hard to see how or why the Lord gave me that word. However, He has shown me gently that HIS JOY can be found in the midst of any circumstance. Joy is found in His Presence. He has graciously shown me opportunity to recognize His Presence and be JOYFUL no matter what is going on around me. It’s been a battle at times, but I will continue to battle so that I can enjoy the fullness of His promise of Joy. Zach received a Word for our family and that was FULFILLMENT. In this year God has revealed that to us in so many ways. In March we were asked to consider coming back to our hometown to pastor the church that our friends the McQueens started. It is the church my husband was baptized in, and one that we served as youth pastors at for four years before moving to Redwood Valley. To return as senior pastors was huge part of FULFILLMENT. Zach also was licensed as an Assemblies of God minister this year which has been a HUGE fulfillment after serving in full time ministry for over 20 years. Then the fire. And yet even in that God has fulfilled our dreams as He has restored everything, even better than it was before. That doesn’t take the pain out of the experience, but it so perfectly reveals God’s faithfulness that we are amazed.
So for the past three days I have been seeking God, asking Him to reveal His Word over us for this upcoming season. Asking Him how we can best honor Him with our ministry, our family, our marriage, finances, and lives. I’m excited for Wednesday when our friends come and we will have Christmas together and then Thursday there will be toffee crisps made, lots of yummy food eaten, but most important, there will be the Presence of God. Brave, Joy, Fulfillment, …… I’m excited to see what He has for me , for us, and for our community in 2016.
Several have asked me how I personally do this so I’m going to share that in the next post.
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